Also 5–6 basse-courte, 7–9 bass-court. [f. BASE a. 3 + COURT; in sense 1 directly from 15th c. F. basse-court (OF. basse-cort, -curt, mod.F. basse-cour).]
1. The lower or outer court of a castle or mansion, occupied by the servants; the court in the rear of a farm-house, containing the out-buildings.
1491. Caxton, Four Sons, iii. (1885), 98. Reynawde … sawe that the basse-courte of the castell brenned.
1575. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 83. Thei laye under the rampire of the base courte, and slue sondrie of our soldiours.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Countr. Farm, 38. [The farmer’s wife] is tyed to matters within the House and base Court.
1759. B. Martin, Nat. Hist. Eng., I. 212. Bass-Courts for Officers and Servants.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxv. The large base-court or outer-yard of the noble Castle.
2. An inferior court of justice, one that is not a court of record; e.g., a court baron.
1542–3. Act 34–5 Hen. VIII., xxvii. § 82. The returne of a write of false iudgement, out of a base court, before the sayde Iustices.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. X. 438. The original manner of granting feudal property, and something like it is still practised in our base-courts.
